#except for eduardo's plot

[cathymee]

maybe it's to maintain a sense of tension & turmoil that would eventually reach an explosive peak, a sense of tug-of-war, a back-and-forth to hammer home the ideals they want to deliver and for the viewers to chew on, but although these arguments regarding hiroshi & his stance as a man torn between his loyalty for his country & the loyalty for his Filipino friends and lover is of course important, how they write these scenes & the points they present from this week alone is getting too repetitive...? literally the argument scenes from last night & tonight between adelina & hiroshi is basically the same; the ideas were the same, the dynamics were the same: the aggressive, radical adelina, bristling rage and fear over the injustices she's seen thus far, and the cautious, inspiriting hiroshi, all hopefulness and reassurance one moment as a lover, defensiveness and sternness as a japanese soldier in another. this debate will be ever-present ofc, it is one of the series' biggest conflicts, but it is unfortunately so easy to tell when it is a.) being pulled up as a main topic to move the plot along / be a necessary conflict for character development/introspection / be the conflict to deliver the morals & messages the writers want to send to their viewers, or b.) when it is being pulled up only for the drama and filler to pass the time. like watching the characters sit down to argue for 10 minutes, do other things for the plot for 2 minutes, then sit down again to argue for the next 20 minutes. lol.

[brodyfoxxsmassivetits]

why don't you sit right down n.... stay awhile!!!

remembered some laurel scribbles I did when I was supposed to be working on my comic(rip my au comic acc my ass can't work on big projects) YAY LAUREL YAY so here are those and then also more..l more laurel..

Put newer doodles first cause they aren't as SLOP

[theresamouseinmyhouse]

tim + brentwood characters as boys i was legitimately friends with in high school and think of every single day:

Buzz- Jake (fake names for all of my friends bc privacy reasons) who complained about hanging out with nerds, got into a fistfight with someone else on his football team bc they called us nerds, was thoroughly convinced he'd run laps faster if he was hopped up on pixie stix (i held his backback while he got sick in the bathroom👍👍), he tried to hit on my older sister and she laughed at him, he was so put out he contemplated becoming a monk for a week

Wes: Max, who i helped sneak an entire bottle of orange juice on to the bus to our choir competition, but was unaware he brought a full bottle of vodka as well, ended up crying on our choir teacher for the three hours after the comp and i bought him a box of donuts after school, he did not stop doing this and had severe beef with a kid he knew in 5th grade and hadnt seen since but also hadnt forgotten their name and last i knew, was still awaiting for a dreaded confrontation to eventually come

Kip: Eduardo, who we all thought was studying during lunch but was actually filling his notebook with weird facts he observed about us and also managed to chew several packs of gum at once throughout our math class before the teacher noticed him, didnt know the plot to the clockwork orange so i lied about it for 5 weeks before he read it and called me just to tell me "you lying frog" befire he hung up

Ali: Ángel, who lied several times on separate occasions to the campus security about where people smoked, forgot what chihuahuas were twice, and almost drowned when he was swimming except his older brother got him and he immediately called me while waiting for the ambulance to tell me he almost fucking died, randomly sang a song about crabs he made up throughout the day

Danny: Ben, helped me with my biology homework because i helped him with essays, once released a live rat into the computer classroom because he had beef with the teacher, once texted me at 11 p.m. because he was having a mental breakdown over his chem work before he realized he was actually looking at trig and i told him id shoot him with a tranq gun if he woke me up like this again, kept forgetting how to tie his shoes

Tim: Teddy, he catfished 6 men over the age of 30 by pretending to be a 13 yr old girl and lured them to the part of town where there is an absurd amount of wild dogs that evade animal control and are known to maul humans, i watched him lockpick the english teacher's door so he could take back an essay he wrote bc it was actually a slash fic he printed out and turned in by accident, we hung out at a dennys once and he accidentally put his hand in syrup, looked me dead in the eye and said "i did that bc im gay" and wore pastel pink for a month bc it pissed off the hall monitor, his dad, and also six teachers he didnt even have class with

[cunttom]

May I present a hypothetical? Let's say you'd been called on to write for Eddworld after Edd Gould's passing. What would you do differently from the canon we have now?

well its hard to say with whats been done w it clouding hindsight, ykwim? its hard to imagine a tord conception without the end, or no ellsworlds, or no fun dead...plus, fan reception is really difficult to work around a la tomska being put under insane scrutiny and criticism while also being weirdly exalted.

Firstable id be ten yrs old so it would be extremely difficult. my comic at the time was umbreon and flareon, and it was extremely derivative of the looney tunes show.

jests aside, MY EDDS WORLD

im actually really into a lot of tomskas undeveloped/fumbled ideas. the red leader? i like it! i want to go into it!

i would love to add more depth, detail, plot...i think id do silly episodic universes, like vamp hunter tom, zombeh stuff, more alt universes like saloonatics/ellsworld, SIDE CHAR FOCUSED EPISODES EXPANDING ON THEM GIVING THEM CONCRETE STUFF (ie paul/pat, bing/larry I WOULD SOOOOO FUCK THAT UP I WOULD DESTROY HER) , noir episode, a neighbors adventure!!, make them just go out and do fucked up stuff. maybe an episode like, pursuing an enigmatic foe with increasing drama revealed to be tord but that diffuses the tension totally on purpose and edds like OHHH its ok its the baddest bitch. and toms like i think hes trying to kill anyone who stands in his way on his road to the top! and matts like i think his choice of lair carpeting is atrocious! and edds like HAHA thats my bad bitch <3

i want tordedd king/knight constant competition adorationobsessionhatred real so bad

i would never do the end. that shit is so bad. its just rotten. sorry tomska. no "tord return" no "giant robot" no "tom kicked out" whatever the hell. oh my gawd.

poweredd is cool ill keep poweredd. except monster tom and eduardos stupid second place trauma. fun dead.

id like to think i would write the characters. better. not legacy tom or legacy matt. hopefully.

theres just such a tonal issue with legacy, where like baby-level events are tragedies. i...really would seek to avoid that.

[desperateknot]

This is me trying to figure out my taste in fictional characters:

The three last characters I were obsessed with were Mikoshi Nagamasa and Jakob Ingold from Genshin Impact and Queequeg from Limbus Company. Running the risk of the 3 other people who know and remember that Mikoshi Nagamasa exists, I will have to explain some stuff...or the entire Venn diagram while I'm at it.

Queequeg:

Likeable: I say she is very likable because the narrative makes she likeable. The narrative sympathises with her.

Jakob Ingold:

An actual villain: Jakob is a villain that the Traveller has to fight and try to stop his plan.

Very unstable: Compared to the other characters on this diagram, he is more prone to emotional outbursts and extreme actions

Mikoshi Nagamasa:

Superior role, but...: he was working for the Inazuma Shogunate regardless and had to bend to their wills.

Doesn't have a proper arc: he is the only character in this diagram not to have a proper story. He was essentially created to be a red herring. At the end of his story, his character development was rolled back.

A bit neurotic: This is a headcanon. However, in game evidence suggests that he was considered paranoid and obsessive.

Queequeg & Jakob Ingold:

Purple: They are both purple

Themes about dissolving: Queequeg’s EGO dissolved into Ahab's, while Jakob was researching a water that dissolved people's wills together.

Subordinate role: They both held subordinate roles - Queequeg was Ahab's harpooner, while Jakob was Rene/Narzissenkreuz's second in command. However, Queequeg had way less power than Jakob since Jakob's subordinate dynamic with Rene/Narzissenkreuz was artificially created by himself. He could have been Rene/Narzissenkreuz's equal or the boss if he wanted, but he didn't.

Two boss fights: We fight each of them twice.

Jakob Ingold & Mikoshi Nagamasa:

From Genshin: They are both human NPCs from the cataclysm era as well.

Unlikable: Although they could be very sympathetic, the narrative introduces Jakob as the villain, and initially, Nagamasa, too. Nagamasa is less liked, probably because he has less of screen time and his personality is insufferable.

Men: Well, they are men. But I do headcanon Nagamasa as transfem when I feel like it.

Abandonment issue:

Eduardo, Jakob's father, was incarnated after attempting to revolt. Basil, Jakob's caretaker, died in a war later. And later, Rene, his dearest, kind of dissolved himself in an experiment.

Nagamasa was an adopted child of the oni Chiyo, but after she went insane, attacked the Shogun, and ran away, there were only him and his adopted brother Michihiro. And then Michihiro ran away, too. And then later, he is essentially forced to kill his retainer.

Motherless: If you count Basil to be Jakob's mother figure, then he is motherless. Motherless is also how you summarise Mikoshi Nagamasa's character in one word.

Mikoshi Nagamasa & Queequeg:

Family issue: Nagamasa had his issue with both his mother and his brother running away. Queequeg ran away from her insane family.

Gnc (Gender non-conforming): You can look at Queequeg can tell how she's gnc. For Nagamasa, it's a headcanon because he doesn't have a design. I just make him super fem (like his mother).

Involves in a ship where one kills the other: Nagamasa was essentially forced to kill Katsuragi, his retainer (and I ship the 2 of them together). It's arguable that Ishmael is responsible for Queequeg's death (Ahab certainly argued so).

Was manipulated: Nagamasa, like the other characters, was deceived by Escher, but he is arguably the least manipulated guy there on account of being paranoid. Queequeg was clearly manipulated by Ahab, that's her entire plot.

Themes of atonement, guilt, filth, and purity: Nagamasa worked his entire life to atone for the act of treason from his mother. He is repeatedly stated to be obsessed with purity. Queequeg has a similar theme with atonement, except it was actually her fault this time.

Queequeg & Jakob Ingold & Mikoshi Nagamasa:

Dead NPCs: They are all dead NPCs

Irrelevant: Varying degree of irrelevance. Here, I mean they won't have further relevance on their respective game. But, for example, Queequeg was extremely relevant in Canto V and had a proper character arc. Jakob was a major villain in the Narzissenkreuz quest line and also inspired another villain from the main quest. Nagamasa was there.

Side characters: They all play supporting roles for at least another character and/or highlight another character's arcs. Jakob is there for Rene. Nagamasa is there for Scaramouche/Kabukimono. Queequeg is there for Ahab and Ishmael. That is not to say they don't have their own story (except for Nagamas/j)

Morally grey: Varying degree. Jakob skirts more to the darker side because he did kill and experiment on a lot of people without remorse. However, he was driven by a genuine desire to save humanity. Queequeg's motives for killing and torturing hundreds of innocents were more selfish and vain, but she regretted it very badly (and in the context of the City, what she did was probably not that bad?) Nagamasa killed one guy. But the guy was really kind and loyal to him. But he also did it to save his own life and his entire lifework of trying to clear his family's name. And the guy also agreed (insisted?) that he kills him. Ironically, Nagamasa has the least fan here.

Water theme: Obvious with Queequeg and Jakob. Speculative for Nagamasa. It depends on whether Hasui Geppaku Futsu (which is associated with the waves) was his mother's sword. Even no, Nagamasa still wrote about it so it kinda counts.

Queer: Neither Ishqueg nor Renekob is canon, but they have a lot of chemistry. Other than that, Ishqueg have their source materials backing them up, while Jakob is theorised to be based on some queer historical figure. And he is also a Ligeia reference exclusively in his relationship to Rene. Nagamasa is there because I ship KatsuNaga and thinks they have sufficient chemistry.

Broken found family: The Pequod can be counted as a found family for Queequeg, and it's broken. Jakob's Narzissenkreuz Institute is also broken. Nagamasa found a family with the Mikoshi. After his mother's treason, it broke. And then, when he found another family at Tatarasuna, it also broke because of Escher. So he lost 2.

Themes about their insignificance: Queequeg is kind of... nothing in Ahab's eyes. To her, Queequeg is just a tool to kill the Whale. Nagamasa lived and died pointlessly. His efforts basically have no lasting consequences at all. Even now, the Mikoshi didn't return to their glorious days, they are mostly forgotten. Jakob (and Rene) tried to save the world with their fucked up ways, but in the end, it's all for nothing because Focalors planned something else already. And also they aren't the Traveler.

Antagonistic: Varying degree. Jakob was straight up a villain. Queequeg fought the Sinners many times because Ahab ordered her. Nagamasa had an unpleasant personality... Well, we all thought he was the villain before the reveal, but he isn't.

Themes about extreme loyalty and dependence: This is their most obvious common trait. Nagamasa is extremely loyal to his mother, and his retainer is loyal to him in turn. Jakob is extremely loyal and dependent on Rene. Queequeg's case is more complicated. She is disloyal to the Middle because she ran away from them. But, at the same time, she was loyal and dependent on Ahab because at that time, she has no one else to lean on.

Has at least 1 viable ship with a master/servant dynamic: Rene/Jakob and Katsuragi/Nagamasa are both ships with the master/servant dynamic. If you count Ahab/Queequeg as a viable ship (even if it's fucked up), then you can count Queequeg in as well.

Has at least 1 non-biological brother: Queequeg is not lacking at all in "Brothers". Nagamasa had Michihiro, even though they might not consider each other brothers anymore. Rene, although never directly referred to as Jakob's brother, is adopted by the same person as him. And if you don't count that, Jakob also saw Carter as his older brother figure.

Involved with a story with themes of obsession: From Jakob obsessively looking up to Rene and worshipping him almost, to Rene himself being obsessed with his way of saving humanity, Jakob's story still is the one least overt about this theme. Queequeg isn't that obsessed, but Ahab and Ishmael very much are. It is also one of the main themes of Moby Dick, her source material. And, obsession is quite literally Nagamasa’s main personality trait.

In conclusion, I like morally grey chatacters. I like those dead NPCs who seem like theirs stories are over, and yet if one is willing to dig more, they would see an improbably interesting backstory and complicated inner lives. I also favour the characters who are extremely loyal and bonus if their loyalty is what makes them less morally upright. I like the themes of atonement and guilt. Codependency is another trope that I find fascinating. Obsession is also a theme that I can relate to. I like angsty relationships like anyone else. And I have a soft spot for familial content.

Anyways, writing this reminds me so much of the days I was obsessed over the Mikoshi family and Mikoshi Nagamasa, specifically. I analysed his dynamics, parallels, and relationships to the characters that actually mattered. Analysed his 5 lines of dialogues. Analysed how he called himself and the people around him. Found a mistranslation (that hasn't been fixed in the game). Checked every place that mentioned him and tried to infer what that meant. Wrote a 100k words fanfic for him.

And, this guy has no coherent character arc. No design, either. Total 5 lines of dialogue. Died before any event of the game.

If I can do that much for a character like that, then I think I can allow myself to be even more obsessed with Queequeg. After all, she was a character that has an arc, proper setup, and proper themes. She has story relevance where she appears. It is actually more reasonable to be obsessed with Queequeg.

[crystallizedday]

Aight, so

As some of you may know

I have quite a bit of knowledge of Fusionfall & its story, especially its endgame plot points.

You may ALSO know that most of my Fusionfall research is centered around Demongo, an endgame character I absolutely adore.

Well, there’s this minor plot point I’ve conjured a while ago that I thought would’ve been a great addition to the story, help give some important endgame characters some well deserved spotlight, & actually give one of the endgame missions some proper build up.

So

Unlike the rest of Fusionfall, the Darklands does not feature many familiar faces with the exception of four: Samurai Jack & Tetrax in Forsaken Valley, Demongo in Huntor’s Crest, & Cheese in Hero’s Hollow.

Obviously, ONE of those characters stand out against the rest since well

Cheese is not a serious character.

In fact, he’s only there to explain how the heroes lost the battle at Hero’s Hollow.

Which

Is odd to me

Cause the ENTIRE story of Fusionfall builds up the importance of imaginary friends, & how their energies actively work to counteract Lord Fuse’s forces.

After all, the fusion spawns can fuse with any object or copy the DNA of someone to make themselves stronger

So what’s a better way to combat them than through something born from nothing, something that can’t be easily absorbed or mimicked, ie imagination?

It’s a cheesy resolution, but it’s one I very much appreciate, especially since this universe hinges on the imagination of the people who make all these cartoons in the first place.

What I DON’T understand is why there was an imaginary character RIGHT THERE in one of the LAST locations of the game that was not utilized in the final battles against Fuse’s army.

Yes, I know. It’s Cheese. He already cost the battle of Hero’s Hollow.

But it just feels like wasted potential to just

Keep the character there for joke missions & not much else.

But I have a solution to that

& it’s all thanks to our favorite fire demon.

Ya see, there’s this set of missions where you are tasked with destroying these fusion control centers, which are essentially hot spots where Fuse can efficiently communicate with his army.

Samurai Jack guides you through the first three, but for the fourth one, Demongo guides you, planning on making this one a surprise attack that could end the war for good.

He’s clearly done his research as he states how he knows imaginary energy can be used against Fuse’s army, & has called someone harnessing that energy to join in on the fight.

That person being…

>:/

Look

I get it.

Demongo probably thinks Eduardo was the most intimidating of the selection, & that’s why he was chosen

& that all the control center assaults feature characters from all over the map

But like

How would Demongo even convince Eduardo to come to the Darklands, let alone convince Frankie (who is with Eduardo at Foster’s) to let the big guy go to THE most dangerous area in the entire world??

It just doesn’t make sense the more you think about it…

So I have a proposal

What if it was Cheese instead?

Cheese is already like

A 5 minute walk from where Demongo is

& NO ONE at Foster’s would probably object to Cheese joining the fight outside of the concern of the lil guy messing everything up.

& Cheese…

I mean, you play your cards right & Cheese might not even give a damn & go along with this assault.

& that’s when I got an idea…

See

Fusionfall fleshes out Demongo’s character by putting him in a situation where he’s essentially powerless, having to rely on whatever doohickey he can get his hands on to keep his ego intact.

He uses dry ice

To feel spooky,

& has the player fetch him a hibachi so he can look like he still has his pyrokinesis.

It’s adorable in a really REALLY sad way…

So

Since he’s essentially powerless with NO ONE on his side (since no one really trusts him)

It wouldn’t be so far fetched to say he’s kinda in a vulnerable spot right now

& that vulnerability eventually leads to him stumbling upon Cheese

Who at FIRST annoys the hell out of him

Cause

Ya know

It’s Cheese.

However, despite how vulnerable CHEESE may be in such a war zone, since he IS an imaginary friend, I can see him actually being able to (unintentionally) fend for himself in Hero’s Hollow.

Perhaps it can even be in the same fashion as his synergy attack with Billy in Punch Time Explosion (the CN fighting game).

Which is just

Screaming IANWKAMSOXMSOXM

But it WORKS

& it HAS taken down monsters out in the field.

So let’s say

Demongo sees this

& is intrigued by it

That such a pathetic, disgusting, & universally HATED creature can fend for himself despite not exactly being warrior-material.

& in a way, deep down, it’s actually sort of touching for Demongo, who is also not exactly well liked (for different reasons) & cannot battle like he used to.

In a way, he finds Cheese to be somewhat inspirational, in an appalling way

Maybe even forming a sort of goofy, one sided friendship with the lil guy.

Cause like

Wouldn’t it be hilarious if the ONE person that actually gave a damn about Cheese was THE most reclusive & seemingly dangerous character in the entire cast?

The fanmade Retro revival tried doing the same thing with Demongo & Chowder, but that just did not work as an idea cause the whole plot line just straight up mischaracterized Demongo’s character purely for the funni.

Not here though.

Cause his “friendship” with Cheese isn’t just to be funny.

It also helps him somewhat cope with the loss of his powers, & how no one else is really on his side.

Maybe Demongo eventually learns to speak to Cheese in a way that the little guy can ACTUALLY understand him, perhaps after studying the lil fella extensively.

I can imagine him meeting Cheese for the first time happens sometime when the player is at level 33, where missions for Hero’s Hollow become open to complete.

Maybe you’re tasked by Demongo to investigate the area after he hears reports of a ruckus going on over there, only to learn that Cheese is the one causing it.

Maybe Frankie/Mac chime in like “WOAH, YOU GOTTA SAVE CHEESE BY TAKING OUT THOSE MONSTERS!!”

But afterwards, Demongo butts in, explaining how he’s been surveying the situation & has seen Cheese fending for himself just fine, absolutely marveled by the strength of such a tiny ugly creature.

You return to Demongo, who tells you that he’ll be keeping an eye on Cheese, explaining how the lil guy may be much stronger than he looks & could be useful to the war effort in the future.

This eventually leads to the fourth control center assault where, instead of Eduardo, Cheese is sent into the fight…

Which all gets ruined by Billy, just like in the original.

I like to think that if this scene was rewritten to be just Jack & Demongo taking on the assault & NOT the player (like a sort of Fusionfall anime kind of deal where these characters do all the missions you’re supposed to do), Demongo would bring Cheese along using a stupid lil baby carrier, using Cheese as a sort of shield for his front…

Without exactly processing how absolutely stupid the two of them look to everyone else OWMWOSMSOMXSOKC

It’s just such a fun idea that I wanted to share with y’all, cause honestly

Both Demongo & Cheese deserve a friend in the messed up world of Fusionfall, & Demongo could DEFINITELY use the ego boost after having his entire life turned upside down with the loss of his powers OSMWOSMSOXKSOCK

[seashoresprite]

Jargyle for ask game

don't ship

Jargyle! The Cheech and Chong duo of season 4.

I don't really ship them romantically. I think Argyle's funny, and I certainly appreciated his levity in such a dark and serious season, but other than being a plot device, I wasn't totally sure how he fit into the story. He and Jonathan are mostly just high, and that seems to be Argyle's entire character (with the exception of his scene with Eden). I don't know if Argyle was ever meant to take on a bigger role in the show or not. I know Eduardo Franco said they never called him, but he might have been lying. Especially if he is making a season 5 appearance. Then obviously he would have to bend the truth.

Because I don't feel like we know much about Argyle as a person, I have a hard time articulating how he and Jonathan fit together. I know Jonathan was going through it this season, and weed was an escape for him. Argyle just seemed to be part of the package deal.

Don't get me wrong: I like Argyle. I think he's funny. I'm just not super invested in him as a character. If the Duffers want to add layers to him later, then I'm all ears.

[telepathiez]

telepathiez ; an independent and semi-selective multi muse blog. this blog explores darker themes and nsfw content, so minors please do not interact. written by jude, they/them pronouns, above 30. previously at @wildruns!

navigation: open starters | wanted plots | wanted opposites | memes | permanent starter call | drafts: 24 | asks: 10

read more for guidelines and muses.

read first.

01. hi, i'm jude!! if you want to interact with me, shoot me a message! i am working full time and might miss out on some replies and if i haven't responded in 3-4 days, please nudge me :)

02. being a queer poc, i have a preference when it comes to interacting with muses of the community. that being said, i will not interact if you are a blog with cishet white muses only. all muses are queer and i am most comfortable portraying masculine characters! once again if you are a strictly cishet blog and is uncomfortable with queer representation, this blog is not for you.

03. this blog will feature nsfw content and darker themes, for instances trauma, cheating, toxicity, however muse does not equal to mun. if you are uncomfortable with these themes, please do not follow!

04. despite the nsfw content that will be present on this blog, this is not a smut-heavy / smut-focused blog. i enjoy character development, building connections and world-building, so not everything has to lead to smut.

05. my replies may be spotty, but i am open to chatting ooc :)

benjamin 'benji' cohen. early 30s. trauma nurse. homosexual. fc: ronen rubinstein. muse level: high.

positive traits: compassionate, quick-thinking, dependable

negative traits: emotionally guarded, stubborn, prone to burnout

primary vice: excessive caffeine consumption

primary virtue: empathy

core values: care, loyalty, teamwork

strengths: calm under pressure, strong medical knowledge, excellent problem-solving skills

weaknesses: difficulty opening up, takes on others' burdens, fear of making mistakes

quirks: keeps a stash of gummy bears, taps his foot when anxious

pet peeves: bureaucracy, inefficiency, loud chewing

role: submissive, bottom

a trauma nurse that grew up in philadelphia. he’s fiercely loyal to his friends and family, often putting their needs before his own. outside the hospital, benji finds solace in photography, capturing the beauty of fleeting moments. he’s also an avid runner, using it as a way to clear his mind and process the day’s events. benji is also very protective of his loved ones and he is very loyal.

alejandro castro. late 40s. neurosurgeon. homosexual. fc: pedro pascal. muse level: new!

positive traits: dedicated, intelligent, empathetic

negative traits: workaholic, emotionally distant, overly self-critical

primary vice: overindulgence in work

primary virtue: resilience

core values: saving lives, precision, integrity

strengths: exceptional focus, medical expertise, leadership

weaknesses: difficulty balancing personal life, fear of failure, struggles with vulnerability

quirks: always have to have his coffee iced, dislikes hot coffee

pet peeves: tardiness, disorganization

role: versatile, switch, no preference

a renowned neurosurgeon that's driven by an insatiable need to save lives, he’s a perfectionist both in and out of the operating room. he grew up in boston, the eldest of three siblings, and was always the responsible one. his parents instilled in him a relentless work ethic, but their high expectations sometimes left him feeling isolated. while his career is illustrious, his personal life is less so. liam struggles to maintain relationships, often sacrificing love and connection for his demanding job. beneath his polished exterior, he harbors a quiet vulnerability and a longing for someone who can see past the white coat. in his rare downtime, he enjoys hiking and sipping bourbon while reading classic literature.

eduardo 'eddie' torres. early 40s. real estate agent. homosexual. fc: alfonso herrera. muse level: low.

positive traits: charismatic, hardworking, compassionate

negative traits: stubborn, overly protective, sometimes too trusting

primary vice: indulgence in fine dining

primary virtue: loyalty

core values: family, authenticity, perseverance

strengths: negotiation skills, adaptability, strong emotional intelligence

weaknesses: difficulty letting go, fear of disappointing others, occasional impatience

quirks: always has a neatly folded handkerchief, hums while cooking

pet peeves: dishonesty, lateness, poorly made coffee

role: versatile, switch, bottom leaning

a successful real estate agent originally from mexico city, he moved to los angeles in his twenties to pursue the american dream. his charm and quick wit make him a natural at closing deals, but it’s his genuine care for his clients that sets him apart. eddie’s journey hasn’t been easy; he’s faced prejudice and financial struggles, yet he’s built a thriving career through sheer determination. when he’s not working, eddie can be found cooking and exploring various dishes, playing soccer, or mentoring young real estate hopefuls.

kian lynch. late 20s. farmer. closeted homosexual. fc: clinton liberty. muse level: new!

positive traits: hardworking, dependable, compassionate

negative traits: impatient, reserved, hesitant to open up

primary vice: bottling up emotions

primary virtue: perseverance

core values: family, honesty

strengths: strong connection with animals, skilled in ranch work, physically resilient

weaknesses: struggles with expressing emotions, fear of coming out, difficulty asking for help

quirks: always carries a piece of rope to fidget with, talks to animals like they understand him

pet peeves: laziness, dishonesty, people who mistreat animals

role: versatile, switch, bottom leaning

kian spent most of his life on his family’s ranch. growing up surrounded by rolling pastures and the steady rhythm of farm life, he developed a deep connection with animals and a love for the outdoors. kian takes pride in his work and finds solace in the simplicity of rural life. while he’s known for his steady hands and quiet strength, kian struggles with impatience, especially when things don’t go as planned. he’s fiercely loyal to those he cares about, and his close friends are the only ones that know of his sexuality, though he’s not yet ready to come out to his family or the wider community. the fear of disrupting the life he’s always known keeps him in the closet, but he dreams of one day being able to live freely and openly. he also enjoys visiting farmer’s markets, and appreciating fresh produce and handmade goods. there’s something comforting about being surrounded by others who share his appreciation for hard work and tradition. he also enjoys long rides on horseback, watching the sunset over the land he calls home, and sneaking moments of peace in the quiet corners of the ranch.

mia riley. late 20s. fitness instructor. bisexual. fc: samantha logan. muse level: medium.

positive traits: energetic, supportive, optimistic

negative traits: can be blunt, overly competitive, restless

primary vice: shopping sprees

primary virtue: determination

core values: health, empowerment, authenticity

strengths: motivational skills, physical endurance, adaptability

weaknesses: struggles to slow down, takes on too much, fear of failure

quirks: always has a colorful water bottle, sings along to music during workouts

pet peeves: laziness, negativity, poorly maintained gym equipment

role: versatile, switch, no preference

a driven fitness instructor with an infectious energy that lights up every room she enters. growing up in atlanta, she discovered her passion for health and wellness after overcoming her own struggles with self-esteem. her classes are as much about mental strength as physical fitness, making her a client favorite. she’s also a self-proclaimed foodie, often sharing her creative recipes online. in her spare time, she loves hiking, binge-watching crime dramas, and catching live music shows.

imani murphy. late 20s. tattoo artist. bisexual. fc: zendaya. muse level: high.

positive traits: creative, confident, empathetic

negative traits: sarcastic, overly independent, can be impatient

primary vice: binge-watching tv shows

primary virtue: authenticity

core values: self-expression, compassion, individuality

strengths: artistic talent, strong communication skills, adaptability

weaknesses: difficulty trusting others, fear of rejection, struggles with time management

quirks: names her plants, doodles on anything within reach

pet peeves: micromanagement, cluttered spaces

role: versatile, switch, no preference

a tattoo artist who’s made a name for herself in the downtown art scene. born and raised in brooklyn, her work is deeply personal, often inspired by her own experiences and those of her clients. imani’s studio is a safe haven for self-expression, and she’s become known for her empathetic approach to her craft. while she exudes confidence, she’s still learning to let her guard down and trust others. imani loves street art, old-school hip-hop, and spending hours in vintage shops. she’s also a plant mom, her apartment overflowing with greenery that she swears has names and personalities.

elijah wilson. early 30s. ceo. homosexual. fc: keith powers. muse level: high.

positive traits: ambitious, intelligent, charismatic

negative traits: overly ambitious, perfectionist, emotionally reserved

primary vice: workaholism

primary virtue: loyalty

core values: health, integrity

strengths: strategic thinking, leadership, adaptability

weaknesses: struggles with vulnerability, fear of failure

quirks: practices boxing as stress relief

pet peeves: inefficiency, dishonesty, lack of accountability

role: versatile, switch, bottom leaning

elijah's the head of a high-profile business conglomerate that recently acquired his family’s successful company, wilson dynamics. born and raised in chicago, elijah grew up watching his parents pour their lives into wilson dynamics, a thriving enterprise that became a cornerstone of their community. the company specializes in cutting-edge technology solutions, offering innovations in fields ranging from renewable energy to artificial intelligence. inspired by their dedication, elijah pursued an ivy league education in business and finance to prepare himself to carry on their legacy. returning home after a decade, elijah has taken the reins of wilson dynamics, using his expertise to expand its reach while maintaining its reputation for excellence. while his decisive actions have been widely praised, some view him as overly ambitious, willing to push boundaries to achieve his vision. elijah, however, is deeply driven by loyalty to his family and a commitment to ensuring the company’s continued success in a competitive market.

nathan carter. mid 30s. cruise chef. homosexual. fc: jonathan bailey. muse level: medium.

positive traits: charismatic, skilled, adventurous

negative traits: perfectionist, occasionally reckless

primary vice: overindulgence in desserts

primary virtue: generosity

core values: tradition, creativity, exploration

strengths: culinary expertise, storytelling, ability to connect with people

weaknesses: fear of settling down, can be overly critical of himself, occasional impulsiveness

quirks: keeps a spice collection from around the world, writes detailed reviews of restaurants

pet peeves: poorly cooked meals, pretentiousness, rigid routines

role: dominant, bottom

a talented cruise chef who has travelled the world’s oceans, bringing his culinary expertise to life on the high seas. growing up in a small english village, he learned to cook from his grandmother, who taught him the magic of simple, heartfelt meals. nathan’s dishes are a fusion of traditional and modern flavors, reflecting his global adventures. while he loves the excitement of his job, the transient lifestyle has left him yearning for stability and connection. nathan is charismatic and charming, often entertaining passengers with his stories and jokes. when he’s not in the kitchen, he enjoys scuba diving, exploring new ports, and writing about his travels in a journal he dreams of turning into a cookbook one day.

theodore 'theo' wright. early 30s. international soccer player. bisexual. fc: nick galitzine. muse level: new!

positive traits: energetic, charismatic, determined

negative traits: impulsive, restless, struggles with patience

primary vice: thrill-seeking

primary virtue: courage

core values: competition, teamwork, adventure

strengths: exceptional athleticism, quick reflexes, adaptability

weaknesses: difficulty staying still, struggles with long-term planning, prone to reckless decisions

quirks: taps his foot when idle

pet peeves: indecisiveness, overly structured routines, slow-paced environments

role: versatile, switch, no preference

a dedicated soccer player who has spent most of his time on the field. from an early age, he was drawn to sports, excelling in soccer and working tirelessly to make it to the international level. now playing for a prestigious international sports team, he’s constantly traveling as he lives a fast paced life. it's impossible for him to sit still and he struggles with impulsive decision-making. theo is also very social and charismatic.

[daydreamerdrew]

Comics read this past week:

Marvel Comics:

All-New Captain America (2015) #1-6

These issues were published across November 2014 to April 2015. They were written by Rick Remember, penciled by Stuart Immonen, and inked by Wade von Grawbadger. And all of the issues were colored by Marte Gracia, except that issue #1 was colored with Eduardo Navarro and issue #3 was colored with Dono Sánchez-Almara. Issue #1 was 22 pages, issues #2-5 were 20 pages, and issue #6 was 21 pages.

All-New Captain America Special (2015) #1

This issue was published in May 2015. It was written by Jeff Loveness, drawn by Alec Morgan, and colored by Nolan Woodard. It was 34 pages.

Hail Hydra (2015) #1-4

These issues were published across July 2015 to November 2015. All were written by Rick Remember. Issues #1-2 and #4 were drawn by Roland Boschi. And issue #3 was penciled by Roland Boschi and inked by Ed Tadeo and Scott Hanna. Issues #1 and #3-4 were colored by Chris Chuckry, and issue #2 was colored by Chris Chuckry and Rachelle Rosenberg. Issues #1-3 were 20 pages, and issue #4 was 24 pages.

DC Comics:

Superwoman Special (2024) #1

This issue was published this month, December 2024. It was written by Joshua Williamson and drawn by Edwin Galmon, Laura Braga, and Nikola Čižmešija. It was 40 pages.

Batman - Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns (2024) #1-4

These issues were published across November 2024 to December 2024. They were written by Jeff Parker and colored by Marcelo Maiolo. Issue #1 was drawn by Lukas Hetner, and issues #2-4 were drawn by Lukas Hetner and Michele Bandini. And issue #1 was 22 pages, and issues #2-4 were 22 pages.

Knight Terrors: Shazam! (2023) #1-2

These issues were published in July 2023 and August 2023. They were written by Mark Waid, penciled by Roger Cruz, inked by Wellington Diaz, and colored by Arif Prianto. They were 22 pages.

the Wonder Woman stories in Sensation Comics (1942) #3-4

These stories were in issues cover dated March 1942 to April 1942. Both were written by William Charles Moulton and drawn by Harry Peter. And both were 13 pages.

Batman & Robin: Year One (2024) #3

This issue was published this month, December 2024. It was co-plotted by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee, written by Mark Waid, drawn by Chris Samnee, and colored by Matt Lopes. It was 22 pages.

[nsfwmiamiart]

Part 12 - Incoming Text for Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) and Zoe Saldaña (@zoesaldana): “An Idea Worth 200 Million Dollars”

Certainly! Below is a well-structured and coherent letter explaining the potential of reimagining 100 Bullets into a billion-dollar franchise, emphasizing the role of the four talented screenwriters:

Subject: Reimagining 100 Bullets into a Billion-Dollar Film Franchise

Dear Snoop and Zoe,

I hope you are both doing well. I want to share an exciting opportunity that lies before you—the chance to collaborate with four incredibly talented screenwriters to transform the critically acclaimed crime noir comic book series 100 Bullets into a potentially billion-dollar film franchise. This could be a lucrative and groundbreaking project with a rich storytelling potential, providing you both with the creative freedom to shape it into something that will captivate audiences worldwide.

I am confident that working with John Collee, Dev Patel, Mel Gibson, and Chloé Zhao will be a game-changer for this project. Together, these four screenwriters bring an exceptional blend of talent and vision. Here's why this collaboration is so important and how it can lead to long-term success for the “100 Bullets” franchise:

1. The Power of Four Talented Screenwriters Collaborating

Each of these screenwriters—John Collee, Dev Patel, Mel Gibson, and Chloé Zhao—brings a unique skill set to the table:

John Collee is known for his sophisticated storytelling in both drama and action films. He’s able to create emotionally driven narratives that connect deeply with the audience while balancing fast-paced action.

Dev Patel is not only an exceptional actor but also a writer with a fresh, dynamic voice. His work can add an authentic layer of depth to the characters in 100 Bullets.

Mel Gibson brings years of experience with complex narratives and intense character development, as seen in his films like Braveheart and Hacksaw Ridge. His expertise will help in crafting the intricate layers of crime syndicates and moral dilemmas.

Chloé Zhao, with her ability to create visually captivating and emotionally rich stories, would be instrumental in grounding 100 Bullets in reality while still maintaining its noir elements.

When these four minds come together, they can create a cinematic universe that combines compelling character arcs, thrilling action sequences, and complex moral questions. Their diverse backgrounds and unique creative visions will help in reimagining 100 Bullets for modern audiences and turning it into a billion-dollar franchise.

2. Reimagining the Story for Film

The key to transforming 100 Bullets into a successful film franchise is the process of reimagining the comic book’s story. While the original comic series by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso is incredibly rich in character development and world-building, the film adaptation will require adjustments to make it more visually engaging and to appeal to a broader audience. Here’s how the four of you can approach this:

Freedom to Add New Elements: This project provides the creative freedom to reimagine the core storyline and add new, exciting elements. While staying true to the essence of 100 Bullets, you can inject your own original ideas, twists, and subplots to keep the story fresh, dynamic, and engaging. The ability to innovate while respecting the source material is key to keeping both fans and newcomers excited.

Expanding the Narrative: 100 Bullets features a complex world where crime syndicates, power struggles, and intricate plots dominate. You can take this further by exploring the conflicts and rivalries between different crime organizations. Adding new factions, new characters, and unexpected alliances will help expand the world-building and give the film the scope it needs for multiple sequels.

Thematic Exploration: The original comic touches on themes like revenge, loyalty, and moral ambiguity. These themes can be enhanced by delving deeper into the motivations of key characters and exploring new ethical dilemmas. Through reimagining, you can make these themes more relevant to today’s world while still preserving the dark, gritty feel that fans of the comic adore.

Dynamic Visual Storytelling: The visual style of the comic, with its noir aesthetics, lends itself perfectly to the screen. However, the film adaptation must also allow room for new visual approaches that are grounded in realism while still maintaining the comic’s sense of danger and intrigue. Collaborating with a skilled director (such as Chloé Zhao and Mel Gibson) will ensure that the visual tone is both captivating and immersive.

3. Negotiating with the Copyright Owners

To make sure that you have the flexibility to truly reimagine the story and add your own creative touches, it will be crucial to negotiate with the copyright owners of 100 Bullets—DC Comics and Vertigo Comics. These negotiations will allow you to obtain the rights to reinterpret the story and characters in ways that align with your vision for the film franchise.

Here’s how you can approach this:

Securing the Rights: It's essential to negotiate a deal that allows full creative freedom. By securing the rights, you’ll be able to bring in new elements, expand the scope of the original story, and change certain aspects to fit a modern cinematic vision.

Creative Control: In the negotiations, ensure that you retain a significant level of creative control over the storyline. This will enable you to steer the narrative in a direction that resonates with today’s audiences while staying true to the spirit of the original comic.

4. Building a Billion-Dollar Franchise

To turn 100 Bullets into a billion-dollar film franchise, the project must go beyond the first film. This means developing a long-term vision that includes multiple films, television spin-offs, and even potentially a video game or comic book revival. Here's how you can achieve this:

Multiple Sequels and Expansions: The world of 100 Bullets offers ample material for expansion. With multiple storylines and a diverse array of characters, there’s room for sequels and even spin-offs exploring different facets of the criminal underworld. Think about how Marvel and DC have successfully built franchises by creating interconnected universes. You can adopt a similar strategy to maintain momentum and keep audiences engaged over time.

Merchandising and Cross-Promotion: By creating a strong, recognizable brand around the 100 Bullets franchise, you can tap into lucrative opportunities for merchandising (e.g., apparel, collectibles) and cross-promotion (e.g., collaborations with other media, video games).

Conclusion: A Vision for Success

In summary, by reimagining 100 Bullets and allowing for the addition of new storylines, characters, and creative ideas, you can transform it into a highly lucrative and expansive billion-dollar franchise. With the incredible talents of John Collee, Dev Patel, Mel Gibson, and Chloé Zhao, this film project has the potential to captivate global audiences and generate sustained success over multiple films and other media formats.

I strongly encourage you both to take this project seriously and approach the negotiations with the copyright owners carefully to secure the freedom needed to fully bring your vision to life. This is an opportunity not just to adapt a comic but to build a lasting cinematic universe.

Warm regards, Angelo (Crown Prince)

This letter breaks down the process step by step, clearly explaining how reimagining 100 Bullets can turn it into a billion-dollar franchise while highlighting the importance of negotiating creative control and working with a talented writing team.

[fallen-evenstar]

Hi!

So is there anyone out there who would be interested in cowriting a Mark/Eduardo(from the social network, yes I'm aware that it's almost 2022) fanfiction with me?

I've been stuck on this pairing for the last month and I've reached that point where there's no more fanfiction left fir me to read so I have to write it(and this time I want to give it an honest go instead of just thinking about it while listening to Taylor Swift's songs (all too well 10 minute version has been playing on repeat for the last month) before going to sleep)

In regards to the plot, I'm pretty much open to anything (except A/B/O, the remainder of my mental health cannot deal with it) and although I have some vague ideas, I think it'd could be fun to brainstorm together!

I'm not the greatest writer in the world, but I'm trying to get better at it. Also I have a full-time job so I may not be able to write a lot, or all the time, but I'll try my best!

I also think this could be a good way to make some new friends so if you're interested, over 18 (I just turned 24 and I'd feel uncomfortable talking to minors) and want to become overly involved with the lives of fictional characters in other to avoid your own send me a dm!!

Also, something to consider: my timezone is Central European Standard Time (GMT+1) (at least according to Google) so while I'm more than willing to work with someone on a different time zone, the bigger the time difference, the more difficult coordination may be (but I'm more than happy to try)

[letstalkabouttvshows]

This is my rant about RNM 4x06 - Kiss from a rose. Please, join me.

I need to vent about episode 6 and after I do that, I'll go back to my positive bubble. So bear with me for a few minutes.

I've been liking Season 4 so far. Let me start with that.

I think the episodes up to 5 had a good pace, and a good balance between individual plots, and overall, it was giving us the build-up for whatever bigger story arc this season has.

Up to 5, I got that feeling. Like, "ok, they are definitely building the tension and the stories to meet at some point where it will all fit".

Honestly, I still believe that and I still believe Alex (the only character that we don't know anything about plot-wise except he's in Jones's contingency plan) will play an important part in the bigger picture here.

But, episode 6 just overwhelmed me with all the things I dislike in this show's writing, all at once, and just made me annoyed as hell.

The pace 😡

For me, the first episode of the season that felt slow and disconnected as a whole. For five episodes we were having a solid pace and then, episode 6 just hit all the wrong notes.

Guest stars 😡

I love Eduardo, I really do. But all his scenes with his daughter felt overly dramatic and we met her, what? One episode ago? We don't care about her daddy issues, I'm sorry, but we don't.

Will these emotionally charged scenes between them have a place in the bigger story arc that's yet to be revealed?

Odds are, no. But even if it does set some kind of plot, still was too much for too little.

--

Bonnie, as Maria was last year for the first half of the season, it's turning into the main plot. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

The girl has the kiss of death, she did something awful to Michael, she still didn't share all she knows about Tezca, and yet, Max is sheltering her.

Max, the king of trust issues, let me add (I mean, make it make sense). At least she's not crashing at Malex's place.

I know we need guest stars to move the story along, and again, up to episode 5, it was making sense.

But now, we see more of her than we've seen Kyle, or Isobel or yes, ALEX, all season.

Will this have a point? A good resolution? Will all this time we spent with Bonnie be worth the screen time?

---

Tezca, for the first time this season, felt like a badly written villain.

Up to 5, we got the sense she's manipulating everyone. I mean, she took Alex first and nobody knows.

She knew exactly who to hit and what strings to pull.

Again, we had 5 episodes where Tezca was shaping up to be as manipulative as Jones but even edgier. Sinister.

The whole reveal of her true form, with the tattoos and her test to Bonnie (???) felt out of place and underwhelming.

Ok, she can't be stabbed to death but even that twist wasn't good enough to shake the feeling that they might turn Tezca in an all-over-the-place character.

Is it possible her scene at the station was all an act? One more manipulative thing she's pulling to deceive everyone about the plan?

GOD, I HOPE SO. Because this character has potential and would be a tragedy and a waste to not write her well.

Too much information with no real information 🤡

RNM has a way to throw a lot of information at us but when we think about it, there's no real information at all.

We know Max is the savior and has a lot of power. Liz has a part to play in the Ophiuchus movement. AGAIN, the bad guys movement, which means that's not good. We know Alex is part of a contingency plan created by Jones. We know he's in a hole. Dead or locked up. The options here a slim due to the fact the last time we saw him HE WAS GETTING QUICKSANDED. We know the alighting has begun.

And that's it.

There's no more information. They keep circling back to these huge points and they don't explain anything.

I get the build-up but we need to have some real answers. SOON.

The same arguments over and over again 🤡

Since episode 2, it seems like Echo has been arguing about the same things nonstop.

We get Max has powers he can't control. We get Liz has doubts.

In the same way, Michael's falling for the idea of a home planet seems like a broken record. We know Michael always wanted to go back. We get it. Now, move the story along. Get to the point already.

Get to the complicated part of it all because all the emotional struggle is already set up. Again, we get it.

The lack of simple logic 🤡

For a group that has a bunch of geniuses, they do often overlook the simplest of logic.

Like, if Alex's not reaching out, not checking-in, MAYBE there's something wrong.

Especially when the only mother figure he had growing up has died and the love of his life got sick for the first time. Oh, and yeah, there's a dark triad with a crazy shapeshifter with unstoppable powers.

These are all things Alex would go back to Roswell in a blink of an eye.

Why no one is finding it odd that he's not checked in yet?

There are other examples, fell free to add them in the comments if you want to.

My point is 😡🤡

Episode 6 was a mess when it's supposed to lead the way to midseason.

To set up the revelations, plot twists, story arcs, and all.

They had 5 solid episodes and all for what? For this episode to be the connecting element for the first half and second half of the season?

It didn't deliver. Unfortunately.

My hope is that episode 7 picks up the pace again and give us all we are craving for: ANSWERS.

And the missing piece that will make all these plots happening right now fit each other.

Ok, now I'm done. Back to my positive bubble until proven otherwise.

💜

PS: Feel free to rant in the comments too. It's a safe space. I think we all need it.

[salmonthestoryteller]

Okay, now for my complaints about RNM season 3 (C’mon, you knew they were coming!) Warnings for statements that could be considered Anti-Maria and Anti-Wyatt. I personally view it as being against the writing of certain plots, not necessarily the characters themselves, but forewarning for potential discourse. 

I said it last season, and earlier on in this season, but I’ll say it again:  Please stop making every side character a love interest or romantic foil.  It truly lowers my interest in a character, and it can ruin a character - especially if the character lacks any sort of relevance to the main plots or interactions with the other characters.   Both Steph and Forrest are examples of this. Honestly, I don’t think anything would have made Steph interesting, but the fact that she basically only existed to give Kyle a non-Liz romance and ended up keeping him disconnected from the main plots for a long stretch of season 2 because she was so non-plot relevant?  Yeah, not a good look.  Forrest, on the flip side, was a complete waste of what would have otherwise been a fascinating character.  He first revealed useful information about the history of the Long Farm that ended up connected with the Pod Squad’s parents.  He also had a lot of potential with his connection to both the Longs and Deep Sky to be a complex and interesting side character.  But then he was demoted to romantic foil.  He became nothing so much as Alex’s temporary love interest, there for the sole purpose of preventing Malex from getting together “too soon”, with what turned into an unnecessary and unexplained connection to Deep Sky that could have been provided completely by Eduardo in season 3.  They didn’t even bother to bring him back for Wyatt’s badly written and unnecessary redemption plotline despite them being cousins and Forrest previously claiming he supposedly hung out with him and Kate in their childhood.

I felt the same disinterest in Heath in early season 3 as I felt for Steph in season 2.  He seemed like nothing so much as a knock-off version of Kyle whose romance with Liz really didn’t serve any purpose aside from being a romantic foil to Echo.  Honestly, not a single of the plot relevant parts of Heath and Liz in early s3 would have changed by having Heath be just a good friend and colleague rather than a love interest.  Until the reveal of his friendship with Dallas, I was honestly annoyed by the reappearance of Heath into the plot.  I held so little interest in his character until then.

Which brings me to Anatsa.  Who is suffering from a really frustrating whiplash of this same issue.  I really don’t understand the writing choice to basically introduce a character they were planning on having in a romance with Isobel by having her have a one night stand with Max.  Honestly, if they wanted Isobel with an old fling of Max’s, Jenna Cameron already existed.  (And already knows about the aliens, Project Shepherd, and Deep Sky.)  At first I thought Anatsa was going to be another Echo foil, so I was pleasantly surprised when, instead, her one night stand with Max remained a one night stand, and instead her character focus seemed to shift to being plot relevant.  Yay!  And then, instead of having her continue to be involved with researching the mysteries in Roswell and become a potential danger/ally to the group, she’s turned into a love interest.  Sure, we’re told she’s researching for a story, which is why her and Isobel break into Dallas’s office, but suddenly she just… what?  Stops researching it?  Never shows up anywhere else or interacts with other characters except in relation to Isobel and her romance for the rest of the season?  Anatsa being in that scene is used solely for the purpose of furthering Isobel and her romance rather than her actual involvement in a plot being used to allow their romance to further.

And I can literally use Kybel as an example of the parallel.  Because they gave us so much of Kyle and Isobel this season.  Think of the scene between them while they work to save Dallas,  Pretty plot relevant, right?  Yet the moments between them exist inside this plot, rather than the moment being manufactured to further their romance.  Kyle continues to interact with other characters, continues his own involvement in the plot.  By comparison, Anatsa is left cooling her heels and only showing up to romance Isobel, twice specifically so Kyle and her don’t share a moment.  Which makes her trend towards romantic foil even more than love interest.  It’s really only the early parts of season 2 that prevent her from falling completely into that category. And that’s not good.

I feel like a traitor to my own sexuality, but I’m not feeling much interest in Isobel and Anatsa as a couple.  First, after everything that happened with Noah, and between Echo and Malex and even Miluca, Isobel is really going to get serious with someone she’s lying to?  Who she’s unwilling to share their secrets with?  I don’t see it.  Secondly, we didn’t even get any kind of on-screen build up of sexual and romantic tension between her and Isobel, we basically get a “tell, don’t show” with Maria suddenly shoving Isobel at Anatsa and claiming they had a moment.  Not a fan of the lack of on-screen preface.  It makes the whole thing feel very contrived rather than natural.  Thirdly, I don't see them putting Kyle into another love triangle where he loses out in the end.  Which means Isobel and Anatsa aren’t even going to be in a serious relationship? They’re, what, only together to be a romantic foil for Kybel? I’m so confused by these choices.  Like Forrest before her, Anatsa could be so much more than a romantic foil, but the writers don’t seem interested in taking advantage of that.  I have been dying for some w/w on RNM, and disappointed doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel about what they’ve given me.

To be honest, I already wrote a post about my struggles with the handling of Maria’s character.  (Which involved my belief that she, too, was demoted from side character to romantic foil.)  It doesn’t help that I heavily disliked season 2 Miluca.  I liked Season 1 Miluca.  Couldn’t stand season 2 Miluca.  So putting Maria directly into another romance seemed an odd choice for me.  And, to be honest, I felt like what they did to Gregory this season was very similar to what they did to Maria last season.  He went from a side character who was relevant to the plot, to being a love interest.  At least he escaped the romantic foil, since he did interact with other characters a handful of times and isn’t interfering with another potential romance.  But there was no reason for him to not be more involved with the plot this season - especially in regards to Alex’s arc.  We only got one conversation between the brothers in season 3.  We got no scenes between them after Alex got involved with Deep Sky. I would have loved to see an interaction between him and Eduardo given his protectiveness towards Alex.  He would have had words for Eduardo.  (I like Eduardo, don’t get me wrong, but I definitely feel like Gregory would be suspicious of him.)  And, honestly, as much as Jesse Manes deserved to die, I really would have liked more about Gregory’s struggles with killing his own father.  Hell, given Michael’s breakdown about the same subject, we could have had an excellent interaction between Michael and Gregory on it.  The lack of touching on that subject is a disservice to his character. 

I feel like I could like Delmanes  (That’s their ship name, right?), but a few things are in my way.  One part is, as I said, Gregory, not getting more involved with the plot and lacking solo interactions with other characters.  Hell, why wasn’t it him interacting with Max thanking him for looking out for Maria rather than Michael?  Why wasn’t he more involved with Maria’s quest for having more visions? Jenna was Max’s season one love interest and Echos’s romantic foil, but still managed to have solo scenes with Jesse Manes, Alex and Kyle, and even Liz and Isobel.  While it is true that Cameron is a character from Roswell High and her season one plot is directly taken from the novels (With the exception of her being romantically linked to Michael in the books rather than Max), if they could manage all that with her in season one, I don’t understand the lack of the same courtesy for Gregory in season 3. I would have also felt so much better and interested in Delmanes if even one scene between them was used to delve into Gregory’s backstory and struggles. Not just Maria’s. Balance is important, and the writers never seem to balance Maria’s romantic relationships well.  So instead of using pretty much any of Gregory’s scenes to further his character, his scenes were almost all used specifically to move his “relationship” with Maria forward.  And, yes there’s a reason for those quotes.  I really wish they’d simply started the season with them already in a relationship, rather than having them get together during the season because - and I’m going to say it:

They do realize people that age date, right?

Like us older people, we still go to dinners, and movies, and art museums.  We don’t just have a drink at a bar and hop into bed together and call it a relationship?  They do know older people can properly date, right?  Cuz I’m honestly getting a “older people don’t go on dates” vibe.  I know they do know that, seeing as Echo got a date last season, and Liz got one with Heath this season, and Michael mentions to Isobel how he and Alex are going on their first real date in the season finale.  But almost every relationship in the show just seems to skip that part.  Miluca, Delmanes, Isobel and Anatsa (what’s their shipname, btw?)  Technically even Malex and Echo skipped that part and didn’t go on dates until after getting together.  (I mean, I guess we can count Echo’s desert trip at 17, but then they didn’t go on another date until Max had amnesia.)  And, honestly?  I’m starting to get pretty salty about that approach to older relationships.  Sex is great, but so is actually taking time to get to know the other person first.  To see if they’re worth putting yourself out there for.  Healthy relationships, people.  They really aren’t unsexy if you write them right.

Another thing I’m going to just say - the idea that Maria is the heart of the RNM Found Family is utter bullshit. It’s the writers trying desperately to sell an idea they haven’t bothered to put the effort into.  You know what the “heart of a group” does?  They're the ones others in the group rely on when they need help. They’re the ones who help protect and prop up their friends when they flounder. Who respect others capabilities and would never speak ill of them behind their backs.  To their faces, maybe, but never behind their backs.  Maria has not been that character since Season One ended.  Period.  

Do you know who is the heart of the RNM Found Family?  Kyle Valenti.

Kyle is the one Liz first tells about the aliens. Who moves past his previous romantic feelings towards Liz to form a friendship with her and even checks in on her even after she leaves Roswell.

Kyle is the one who in season one apologizes to Alex for his past actions and forms a friendship that allows him to encourage him and support him in the following seasons.

Kyle is the one who helps save Isobel in season one despite his mixed feelings towards what happened with the murders and who continues to be a good friend to her and encourage her as the show progresses.

Kyle is the one who manages to move past his old rivalry with Max enough to work to save his life, to work with him to uncover what’s happening in season 2, and continues to look out for his health in season 3 - even when Max doesn’t want him to.

Kyle is the one who, despite a continued antagonistic relationship with Michael, shows respect for his skills regardless. From trusting the alien pacemaker he made to seeking him out for help in regards to the radio.

Kyle is the one who looks out for Maria’s health. Who is willing to go so far as risk his career to help her with her quest to have more visions. Despite being against her doing so as her doctor - he still supports her choice.

Kyle is the one who is shown to be there for Rosa multiple times the last couple seasons. Including when she was initially spiraling during season 2.  And coming to her aid after she drugs Wyatt.

No amount of lip service for Maria can compete with the sheer number of scenes where Kyle is shown to care for and support the other characters. So, yeah, no, Maria is not and never can be the heart of this version of Roswell.  That is and always will be Kyle.

This isn’t even about my own struggles with Maria’s characterization. They simply have not put in the effort for that claim. Her interactions with Max have been almost non-existent since season one. Her interactions with both Kyle and Michael have almost all been about them supporting her.  After their scene together with Arizona, Maria did not support Michael’s character once until finding him stabbed at the end of season 3 - including their entire romantic relationship! The scenes between Kyle and Maria were scarce and equally slanted towards him supplying support for her rather than her for him.  In season one, Maria and Alex’s interactions were evenly about checking in on each other’s well being, but since the start of season 2, Maria has done absolutely nothing to support Alex.  Even her relationship with Liz suffered - with the writers not bothering to even write a full scene for their reconciliation in season 2 after their fight!  Rosa and her were fleeced in season 2 - we never even got to see her give Rosa the necklace!  The only real relationship of Maria’s that is developed properly on screen with a show of equal support of each other is her and Isobel!  Don’t get me wrong, their scenes are excellent. But you can’t skip over every other relationship Maria has on screen and then try to sell us on this idea she has become irreplaceable in importance to the group.  Especially in the same season she complained to Isobel of feeling left out!  You can’t have it both ways!

Sigh. I don’t think I’ll ever love Maria’s character again like I did in season one. But, hey, the writers managed to make me hate Max a lot less this season, so anything is possible.

I have written no less than two posts (One. Two.) about my dislike of Wyatt’s amnesia plot.  If they were dead set on doing this plot, however, they needed to do it correctly - and they didn’t. At all.  How Wyatt is written?  Hoo boy. 

Look, hard facts. As someone who has literally taken management seminars on this sort of thing. People can be completely unaware of their own prejudices.  They will make statements or form opinions that they have no idea are based on prejudice. Until someone smacks them across the face with it.  And that is people raised in, as much as I hate the use of the word, “normal” environments. Who weren’t subjected to racist beliefs from a young age. Before they were even old enough to form their own opinions.

And, yes, people can overcome these types of upbringings. They can go out in the world and realize their family beliefs are wrong.  They can do better.  But it takes time and effort. And they will find themselves messing up and making mistakes.  Thinking or even saying the wrong things.

Wyatt is not written like that. At all. He is written as some pure innocent character completely without prejudice. As if he’s unaware and horrified by its very existence.  That’s… wrong.  It’s insulting even.  Wyatt, even if he was a friend of Rosa’s in the past who had been working to escape his family’s beliefs, would be fully aware of prejudice. Of the terrible things his family and others like them do. He would still mess up and probably say the wrong thing and need someone to call him on it.

In my opinion, this plot should never have been bothered with at all, not for Wyatt. To me his previous actions were too far down a road of violence that speaks of something psychological being wrong with him. People can become assholes.  Even prejudice assholes. But that isn’t the same as being violent.  That definitely isn’t the same as being an unrepentant murderer.  And the way they have written this plot has taken it from bad to absolute worst case scenario.

So, yeah, my biggest complaint about season 3 is Wyatt. And how absolutely wrong it was to write this arc at all. Let alone the way it has been written. 

And, seriously, seriously, if they do not give me a Flint Manes redemption arc after making me put up with this Wyatt Long bullshit, I will never stop complaining about it.

[hawkinssnowball]

i should start this off by saying that i dont believe any of these are for sure true!! but i can say which ones i think are likely predictions / which ones i want to happen hehe

the whole mike & el & will tension seems entirely plausible, i can see mike being upset with her, less for focusing on max and more for not really responding at all to his monologue, mike will probably want his relationship and therefore (nonexistent) straightness to be reaffirmed lol

joyce being injured is juicy and i hope that's real, jopper's gonna need something to do

highly doubt a mind flayer return except for in flashbacks / references, the return of the s2 tunnels does seem plausible though

also doubt the dragon thing but i'd be pleasantly surprised if that did end up happening

i really do hope max's letters get read, otherwise there wasn't a whole lot of a point setting them up in s4

the whole "vecna has a plan that requires will / will was taken for a reason" is vague enough to be guaranteed true. the time part is probably not gonna use actual time travel but something in the upside down like how it was stuck at '83

core party bonding especially w/dustin talking about eddie is a necessity for me and also vague enough to be almost guaranteed.

would love a scott clarke return, as i said in the replies (this is sideblog for user tamsong)

elumax moments are also so necessary for me

if another character is indeed hinted to be bi i hope it's el

hopper-byers plotline again vague enough to be almost guaranteed, same with rockie romantic moments and jancy emotional conversation

should i stay or should i got HAS to make a comeback and i will be. frothing at the mouth

3/4 of scoops troop having a storyline - highly likely. i assume it'll be steve robin and erica b/c i want dustin to be with the core party

argyle heroic moment - unlikely to me sadly, unless we have solid proof eduardo franco is coming back? he seemed to only be used as comedic relief and a plot device for s4

robin and vickie's relationship is important to defeating vecna - unlikely to me, unless it's for a very short moment

byler has an important emotional scene that was supposed to be filmed in may: the specific month is really standing out here, so it seems likely because of that?? it tracks with other information we know though

YESSSSS FIRST FAKE ST5 LEAKS ARE IN !!!!!

[lovecolibri]

I just don't know what to do with the fact that the only episode Alex had an inkling of a season arc and an actual friendship scene in was the one Carina wrote. We really thought the isolation theme was going to play a role throughout the season with Alex finally leaning on people and not letting Deep Sky suck him in. Instead, Eduardo wound up as the biggest Malex shipper of the season, welcomed the entire group into the building, and Alex was just...isolated all season as usual for no reason, except even more than in previous seasons because he didn't have to prop up M*ria and Liz as much. This thing where Alex gets a completely separate investigation storyline from everyone else with guest stars for scene partners that he's pushed out of the second it intersects with other plots keeps happening. It happened with Noah, Crash Con and now this. And it's weird to see so many people suddenly complain when the only thing that's different now is that Malex is together, so isolated Alex means fewer Malex scenes. People who didn't take an issue with the only Greg/Alex scene all season having Alex prop up Greg's relationship without his own feelings for Michael ever even being brought up let alone validated or encouraged have no business complaining now that they can't self-insert in enough Malex scenes. It's pretty obvious that if we had gotten even one or two more scenes with just the two of them, the discourse would be a lot different from most of them. This is very salty, but you're one of the very few people in this fandom who consistently cares about Alex as much as Malex, so I thought I'd share it.

"Alex's journey this season is deeply personal". Bitch, where?! We got a few really good moments with Alex, but almost nothing this season we saw from his POV was about him and the one episode that was, ended up being about Jesse's voice in his head. Again. But Alex ended the season in....pretty much the same place he started it, except he's dating Michael now. We got Malex communicating finally, but that all happened overnight after 3 interactions of them still struggling to carry a conversation together and one (1) personal story from Alex does not "a deeply personal journey" make.

"This thing where Alex gets a completely separate investigation storyline from everyone else with guest stars for scene partners that he's pushed out of the second it intersects with other plots keeps happening. It happened with Noah, Crash Con and now this." Yeaaaah this is one of the most deeply irritating things the show does with Alex. He was literally investigating the exact same thing as Liz and the Pod Squad in season 1 and yet their paths on that investigation did not cross. Same with Alex trying to figure out what his dad was up to, only to have everyone go "cool, we'll take it from here!" when they figured it out. And now this season where Alex spent 90% of his time poking at a machine that ended up being the key to everything and yet, he wasn't allowed to be around for the culmination of everything, not even over a bluetooth phone call where we could have seen him dramatically slamming his hands on the desk in Deep Sky demanding someone tell him what is happening and if Michael is okay. IF, (and that's a pretty darn big "if") there was a reason of any sort that Tyler couldn't be in the big group scenes AGAIN this season (because as you pointed out this is unfortunately a trend at this point), there were ways to incorporate him.

Now, I absolutely adore both Alex and Michael and I also have....so much of this fandom blocked that I haven't seen a ton of what you mentioned with people only being upset at the lack of Malex and not the lack of Alex himself, though I'm sure that it exists. There is a reason I have so much stuff for this fandom blocked. But it's really disappointing because Alex is SO interesting as a character and there is so much history and story there and things the show could do with him. Tyler loves this character as well and WANTS to explore him, and you know Vlamis is down for anything, so the fact that his character that has so much to offer keeps getting shafted in order to make time and space for guest characters, or pointless plotlines, or to prop up other characters that end up brining nothing to the table, but fill their plate from the scraps Alex already had to settle for.

And again, Vlamburn have some tv magic, that's for sure, but Tyler can absolutely bring it in his own scenes as we saw with his Deep Sky interview, that brief but touching moment sitting by a comatose Kyle, and his stellar performance with Nora and the Lockhart Machine. We had the set up for so many good an interesting scenes with Alex this season and the writers still managed to pull the rug out at the last minute and give us crumbs. And like you said, this could have been the season of Alex learning to lean on people and cultivating a support system. That Lockhart-Machine-making-him-crazy arc absolutely should have spanned over at least two episodes, and I would have KILLED for a Greg/Kyle/Michael reluctant team-up to help Alex. I would have loved to see some Liz/Kyle/Alex Team Human talks, as well, and now that Alex and Michael are together it would have been a great time to FINALLY have Isobel talk with Alex. Michael got kidnapped for goodness sake, they couldn't have an Isobel/Alex team up to go after him? Toss Rosa in for good measure so Alex could finally have a scene with her too? I feel your pain, Nonnie because I am also very salty about the lack of Alex and how the show keeps sidelining him, especially when the character is a fan favorite!

[sunflowerdigs]

So, I did a little sarcastic-y review from the salt mines for RNM 3x09. Warnings for excessive sodium content, Maribel mourning, a desire to recycle cardboard, and, of course, Malex opinions. Without further ado:

- Every time Michael smiles I forget for like 5 whole seconds how much I hate that Malex keeps me shackled to this show. Too cute that he brought Alex lunch (and probably hoped he could sneak a glimpse of him) and they're going on their first date (omg omg omg).❤❤❤❤❤

- Kyle should yell at people more. Starting with his garbage friends who left him in a barn without proper triage or jello cups while he was in a coma (why didn't they just keep him at DS if he's having appointments there anyway? Nevermind... ). Alas, he's starting his understandable rage tour with Uncle Edgelord, who, naturally, makes a dramatic statement and tries to leave. I am so glad Kyle called him on that.

- Delmanes would be cute if Greg didn't have the personality of cardboard. They've created a character who is actually only here to remind us of how special and amazing Maria is. Turns out that's not super interesting. And it's so painfully obvious that it's a pair-your-spares situation. I really wish they'd just give her Kyle, he has the patience of a saint. Anyway, Isobel's pigtails are cute af (rip my Isobel/Maria/Kyle heart - I would have taken Isobel interrupting Delmanes and Heather's post with pigtails today as signs if not for genetics).

- Anatsa and Isobel's development seems to have taken place completely off-screen, like everything else gay on this show, so I'm guessing it's gonna stick. Honestly...I guess this is controversial but Isobel and Maria have really good chemistry and a history. I know their bond is supposed to read "sibling" but it doesn't for me. And rather than waste time watching them flirt with these one-note (ah, Greg chimes in right on time with a convenient line any rando could have delivered) LIs, I'd much rather see them get closer. The whole related thing has thrown a wrench into it for me. That said, it's nice to watch a woman be encouraged to go after another woman. 🎉

- Alex the sci-fi/fantasy nerd figuring out immediately that the hallucination is his own subconscious is 100% legit. Much like Kyle not letting his uncle pull a classic tall-dark-and-broody exit, I appreciate Alex's 4th-wall break moment.

- Not Max and Liz proving that discussions about s2 drama can occur on Roswell New Mexico?! What? Must be a straight thing. Lucky them.

- Isobel is actually acting a lot like Sherlock Holmes when he's on a case, from the wardrobe to the focus, and it's hot. Also, totally believable that Isobel would be able to pull up that pod from under the ice because we know she's been training even if it didn't happen onscreen. Because she told us. Just a suggestion.

- I love the idea of Jim Valenti as a double-agent, but I don't see how Eduardo thought he could keep Kyle safe by never knowing him. It feels like there's a lot more here Eduardo isn't saying.

- It wasn't a sister-fight that Maria and Isobel had, but whatever (no one got physically shoved or brought up a horrifying memory from 100000 years ago to shove in someone's face in public - doesn't count).

- Also, why would you waste a glass by throwing it into the fireplace? Wouldn't it just explode back in your face? Man, the show is trying so hard with Maria and Greg, I want to give them some kind of romance-novel award for effort (but not success).

- Not Liz and Max showing us that it's possible to move forward by discussing your past mistakes like adults instead of pretending they didn't happen!? What? Must be a straight thing. Lucky them.

- Draw a line on the bottle? No way, Valenti, he obviously wants you to chuck that whole thing straight into the fire in a fit of passion to prove that his words had an emotional impact.

- Also, Kyle wins the prize for this episode for that speech to Uncle Edgelord. Everyone go home. When do I get a Kyle and Alex spin-off where they travel the world, defying sci-fi tropes and seducing beautiful men and women?

- Not Liz and Max talking loudly about aliens while breaking and entering! This one is actually very believable, I take it back.

- It was idiotic of Liz to trust Heath. And Echo keep having this same fight because MAX IS RIGHT BUT THE SHOW WON'T LET HIM BE. Which is so obnoxious. I would forgive Liz for almost any sin (like, idk, getting a better romantic storyline because she's straight) because she's gorgeous and smart and tough and I wanna go live with her and her mad scientist energy on a deserted island somewhere. But she's being real dumb rn.

- I love the t-shirt and if Vlambase doesn't sell one I will. But he couldn't have held up a radio and blasted some Barry White? I feel like that would have cleared everyone but Alex put of the building real fast. Also, what is time on Roswell NM? Was Alex just setting the alarm every so often for kicks? Does Eduardo really not check in on staff who are working with dangerous technology for days on end? Also, why is this entire plot happening over a single goddamn episode instead of two or more so that we can really feel Alex wasting away under the machine's influence? The reason this twist is at all surprising is also the entire plot's undoing - Alex's demeanor wasn't exactly one of a man obsessed (or an addict, tbh) in his last scene.

- Anyway, back to Rizzoli and Isles. I definitely am always super excited to hear the details of my sister's sex life. All the time. That is totally a sister thing except where it's really not. Do any of these writers actually have a sister? I feel like they must because the Michael/Max/Isobel sibling chemistry is always bang on but Maribel is just...flirty lady city. Oh, and look, the beard just showed up with coffee to cockblock - it really is R&I!

- Back to Alex's plot line, which, much like Isobel's coffee, is Express To-Go. He's become haggard and worn in the time it's taken Michael's mom to find a cute sweater in the void. Seriously, we wasted like 3 whole episodes where Alex was presumably sitting in DS twiddling his thumbs and now he's being worn down by the machine in a single episode? Why didn't this plot start back in episode 3 or 4? Like...look, I don't come on here to be an asshole. But I just really hope they're taking note of what worked this season and what didn't because HOLY PACING FIASCO BATMAN. Just because you're giving us Malex doesn't mean everything else can just be hot garbage (not the acting, Taylor's doing his best to sell this). Also, when did Alex put his leg back on? I have so many questions but they aren't the good kind, so Michael better ride in soon and save this mess.

- Regarding what Nora is saying, it's fine, it makes sense but the zero build up makes it completely ineffective. Alex is afraid he doesn't love enough - it would have been nice to see that over several episodes instead of just being told in a burst of sudden exposition but, you know. Nice straight things we can't have, I guess.

- If Michael and Alex want their relationship to "purr" they could, idk, talk through their past misunderstandings like people in relationships do. Or the show could keep throwing exposition bombs at them, idek.

- Are those empty toilet paper rolls inside the machine? I knew the CW was budget but come on...

- And we finally get the Heath connection and it's to our brand new trope-y character, Wise Old Black Man Dallas. It's surprising but only because the 4th alien didn't exist before this episode. So, good job.

Overall, not the worst episode of RNM ever. I only wondered why I watch this show maybe 3 times this episode. And Michael's enthusiasm for Alex was adorable.